|
trogdortheburninator1
Mar 29, 2005, 7:16 PM
Post #1 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 25, 2004
Posts: 35
|
I will be spending three weeks in Toulouse France from mid june to early July and had hoped to get some climbing in on weekends. I was wondering what are the closest areas to Toulouse with good climbing. I can bring whatever gear I need, but for the sake of travelling light, keeping gear to a minimum would be beneficial. Ideally I'd like to boulder or sport climb, or meet up with someone who has a rack. What is the situation like in Tolouse regarding finding partners? Are there any boards to post on closer to the actual time regarding finding actual partners? Also, are most safety concerns handled similarly in france (is it generally safe to trust peoples belaying, equipment, competence, obviously not wanting to put myself at risk), given how widespread mountaineering in France tends to be.
|
|
|
|
|
overlord
Mar 29, 2005, 8:48 PM
Post #2 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 14120
|
pm thomasribiere
heres a link to hes profile
he should help you with the beta, but i think hell be roadtripping through the USA at that time, but i think hell be back in france in july. pm him for better info offcourse. what do i know anyway :wink:
|
|
|
|
|
floridaputz
Mar 29, 2005, 9:14 PM
Post #3 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 30, 2002
Posts: 136
|
I went to toulouse a few years back on a Rugby tour. I planned on doing some climbing after. I did a little research before going but it was not enough. I completely hit the language barrier. I could not find squat. I know that there is climbing in the Pyreness, but that's not really close. Or in the Pas de la Casa area on the way to Spain. But close by, I could not find anything. I'm sure if you speak French that would be helpful.
|
|
|
|
|
thomasribiere
Mar 30, 2005, 7:38 AM
Post #4 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 24, 2002
Posts: 9306
|
I'll answer you later this week or next week. :) Just let me time to collect some infos. I've been to Toulouse many times for work, and had only time to hit the gyms by night. SO I will give you the locations of the 2 nice gyms of Toulouse, and I will give you some climbing places NOT TOO FAR from the city which is in a vast plain... Buildering is an art in Toulouse, too.
|
|
|
|
|
trogdortheburninator1
Mar 31, 2005, 12:53 AM
Post #5 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 25, 2004
Posts: 35
|
Thanks Thomas, I look forward to the info.
|
|
|
|
|
thomasribiere
Apr 6, 2005, 5:29 PM
Post #6 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 24, 2002
Posts: 9306
|
Ariège : Le Quié and Dent d'Orlu are multi-pitch ; Calamès / Bédeilhac, South of Foix, 1 hour 30 minutes South of Toulouse (http://cafma.free.fr)
Hautes-Pyrénées : Troubat , Ore, Suberpène, Pène-Haute,SW of SAint-Gaudens, 2 hours SW of Toulouse.
Aude : Notre-Dame-du-Cros north of Carcassone (1hour and 15 minutes east of Toulouse) ; Vingrau, near Tautavel, NW of Perpignan.
Gruissan, south of Narbonne, (1 hour 30 minutes east of Toulouse) : many different areas.
Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val (the Robyn Erbesfield's cliffs!) : NE of Montauban and SE of Cahors, 1 hour north of Toulouse. Many great areas.
Near Revel : Dourgne which seems uninteresting (less than 1 hour).
You can go further east near Nîmes and Montpellier or NE in the Gorges du Tarn and Gorges de l'ARdèche which are fantastic places (for 2-3 days).
shops : Le Vieux Campeur in Labège (south-east suburbs) and Igloo (down town) where you will find some topos and gear.
climbing gyms : Altissimo (routes + cave), industrial zone (ZI) Montaudran, 5, rue Jean Rodier, 31400 Toulouse, tel 05.61.54.32.00 near the highway from Carcassone and Narbonne ; Art Pan (many big nice caves), impasse Lapujade behind the train station of Matabiau (numerous one way streets in this area...), tél 05.61.11.99.44 or 05.34.25.01.45. In these gyms, you will find many nice ppl, especially in Art Pan, and they will give you some betas. This is the best thing to do IMO.
Hope it helps. It was not easy to collect all these informations.
|
|
|
|
|
thomasribiere
Apr 6, 2005, 5:35 PM
Post #7 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 24, 2002
Posts: 9306
|
and about safety concerns :
People usually belay with a gri-gri on sport crags.
Sport crags have usually glue-in rings or bolts with fixed hangers ; on top there's usually 2 points + a chain.
There's now a controversy in france about some points and chains at the top of a cliff (Vingrau? Gruissan?) about the solidity : some can be manually pulled out... :shock:
About competence, hard to tell... People are people. you should meet people at the crags, but maybe take appointments at the gyms before...
|
|
|
|
|
trogdortheburninator1
Apr 7, 2005, 6:13 PM
Post #8 of 8
(3879 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 25, 2004
Posts: 35
|
THis helps a ton. Thanks. WHich of these crags is your personal favorite for moderate (5.10 US maybe 6a french) sport climbing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
